1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to line drivers for communication networks. In particular, this disclosure relates to a low voltage line driver for communication networks such as Ethernet networks.
2. Related Art
Line drivers typically transmit information across a network transmission line by generating a differential output voltage responsive to an input signal. Line drivers also provide a termination impedance, typically 100 ohms, for the network transmission line. The termination impedance is sometimes implemented either as an actual resistor (e.g., a physical 100 ohm resistor), or, more commonly, as an active termination stage in which a complex active circuit simulates a resistor. There is a need for a new active termination architecture that is suitable for smaller scale manufacturing processes (e.g., 28 nm processes) for circuits that use lower voltage supplies (e.g., 1.8 V).